Description
This Healthy Shrimp Rice Casserole with Veggies is a flavorful and nutritious one-dish meal combining tender shrimp, vibrant bell peppers, spinach, and tangy feta cheese baked over perfectly cooked long grain rice. Ready in under an hour, it’s an easy, wholesome dinner option bursting with Mediterranean-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp & Rice
- 1 cup long grain white rice, dry (such as basmati)
- 1 pound shrimp, thawed, tails and shells removed (pre-cooked works well)
Vegetables & Seasoning
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium bell peppers, cored and chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cups baby spinach
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups tomato sauce (marinara works well)
- 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 150 grams)
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook rice: Rinse the rice thoroughly and cook it according to package instructions, which typically takes about 15-20 minutes, until tender and fluffy.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the casserole later.
- Cook veggies: In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, diced onion, and chopped bell peppers along with oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Sauté for approximately 7 minutes until the vegetables soften. Then add the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
- Cook shrimp: If you are using raw shrimp, add them to the pan with the veggies and cook until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, about 3-4 minutes. If pre-cooked shrimp are used, you can skip this step.
- Combine ingredients: In a casserole dish, combine the cooked rice, sautéed vegetables, shrimp, and tomato sauce. Mix well to evenly distribute all ingredients. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Top the mixture evenly with crumbled feta cheese.
- Bake casserole: Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until the feta cheese is melted, slightly golden, and the dish is heated through.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of black pepper. Serve hot and enjoy your healthy shrimp rice casserole.
Notes
- Using pre-cooked shrimp reduces total cook time since the shrimp don’t need to be cooked again in the pan.
- You can substitute baby spinach with kale or Swiss chard if preferred.
- For a lower sodium option, choose a low-sodium tomato sauce and reduce added salt.
- If you like extra heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes during the vegetable sauté.
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days and reheat well in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
